Merepark Construction wins next phase of Lewis' Building Refurbishment
Merepark Construction Ltd has secured the £26 million contract to deliver the final phase of regeneration works at the iconic Grade II listed Lewis’s Building, part of the £160m Central Village development.
The contract was awarded after a competitive tender and follows Merepark Construction’s successful completion of the first phase strip-out of the Lewis’s Building, which took 34 weeks to complete and involved the removal of 3,429 tonnes of debris and asbestos from all nine floors.
Work has now started on the Accor Adagio Hotel, retail leisure and office space as well as the new open-air link which runs through the Lewis’s Building and connects Renshaw Street to the heart of the development.
Scaffolding is now being erected on site and will cover the perimeter of the building by the New Year, in advance of external cleaning work to restore the building’s iconic façade. Work is well on track for the scheduled completion at the end of 2012.
Alex Moore, director at Merepark Construction Ltd said: “To date work has been contained within the building but it’s the final phase that will see changes to the building’s exterior and give the people of Liverpool a real sense of the transformation that’s underway.
“This building is the linchpin for the rest of the Central Village scheme and we’re delighted to be playing such an instrumental role in its refurbishment.”
Speaking about the Central Village scheme, Max Steinberg, chief executive of Liverpool Vision, said: “Central Village will see the city’s retail and leisure improve further, acting as an important catalyst for additional regeneration work.”
Over the last 18 months Merepark has secured a significant number of high profile pre-lets at Central Village. The Odeon cinema is confirmed as the anchor tenant for the Boardwalk, its second in the city. Frankie & Benny’s, Handmade Burger Co and Chiquito have also been secured as restaurant-firsts for the city. Accor’s Adagio Hotel, pan-Asian restaurant Cosmo and Italian restaurant Prezzo have signed for the Lewis’s building and negotiations with a series of other high profile tenants continue.
In total, Merepark’s £160m Central Village comprises several phases. These are:
1. Three properties on Bold Street (9-19, 21-25 and 39-41) which Merepark completed in 2009. Tenants include Costa Coffee and Drome.
2. A 459-space, Q-park multi-storey car park, bounded by Bold Street, Renshaw Street and new public space, Heathfield. The contractor, McGee, is already on site and work will be completed in 2013.
3. The refurbishment of the nine-storey Lewis’s building to include a 126-bed Accor apartment-hotel, 72,000 sq ft of office space and additional retail and leisure units
4. The 75,000 sq ft Boardwalk building with new public plaza and stepped water race and the creation of 20,000 sq ft of additional retail and leisure space on three floors above Liverpool Central Station (due to commence in 2012).
5. The part refurbishment of the Watson Building (adjacent to Lewis’s) to accommodate the Millennium Hotel.
6. The new-build Copthorne Hotel.
Central Village is expected to contribute £100 million to the city’s economy when it is complete and will create approximately 3,000 jobs.
Notes to Editors
About Central Village
• Merepark has successfully forward-sold the Lewis’s building as well as the multi storey car park and the funding is in place for a new plaza by Central Station.
• £4m of NWDA funding was awarded to Central Village, specifically for the offices element of the Lewis’s building and exterior refurbishment including stone cleaning.
• The Central Village scheme comprises:
o 300,000sqft prime leisure/retail space
o 80,000sqft grade A offices
o 500 car parking spaces
o 550 hotel bed rooms
o 6 cinema screens
o associated public realm.
• The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) is making a real difference to people and businesses in the Northwest. With £755million to invest between 2007 and 2013, ERDF is enhancing the competitiveness of the region’s economy by supporting growth in enterprise and employment. ERDF in the Northwest is managed by the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA). For further information please visit www.erdfnw.co.uk
[Image: Central Village New Public Plaza and Odeon CGI]
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